


Don't you worry if I disappear

by versti_fantur



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race RPF
Genre: A cryptid who will use she/her pronouns, Crystal's a cryptid so...?, F/F, Gigi's a girl, I mean kinda?, Lesbian AU, cryptid AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:22:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24341992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/versti_fantur/pseuds/versti_fantur
Summary: “Gigi Goode.” The creature drew the words out, its tongue forming the syllables slowly. Its claw stroked the side of her face gently, but the sharp point still caused her to shudder. “You shouldn’t be here, Gigi Goode.”//Or, the Cryptid Crygi AU that no one asked for but I'm lowkey in love with
Relationships: Gigi Goode/Crystal Methyd
Comments: 58
Kudos: 115





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fandom is wonderful and incredible and i love it so much :D i hope you enjoy reading!

The trees surrounding her were thick and dense, their dark green leaves almost black in the twilight. Gigi couldn’t remember where she’d come from, or how she could leave, every direction looked the same as the other, the pathways beneath her feet twisting, tangling into one until there were no pathways at all, only fallen leaves and plants which clawed at her ankles until her tights were ripped and she was sure she was bleeding a little. Her phone was in her pocket, useless with no service, and the battery was almost dead anyway. She just wanted to get home, but terrifyingly, she couldn’t remember where home was. Not where it was in relation to the woods, but in general. A fact that should’ve been so obvious, and yet she simply didn’t know. Rubbing her hands over her bare arms, she kept walking. She had to find a way out eventually, right?

It was dark now and Gigi was still hopelessly lost. Her stomach begged her to eat something, but her limited knowledge of plants meant she was too scared to eat anything in case it poisoned her. So she kept walking, no longer looking forwards, but down—the ground was littered with so many rabbit holes and mole hills that she didn’t trust herself not to twist her ankle, and then she’d be in an even worse situation than she already was. Not to mention the cold that was already biting at her exposed skin, sending shivers down the back of her neck. She hated it. 

Occasionally, a strange sound would echo from behind her; a branch snapping in two and falling to the ground with a low thud, or the wind whistling through the trees so fiercely it sounded like a scream. And Gigi would tense, freezing for a split second before walking again, faster than before. A feeling deep in her gut told her she was not safe, that if she stopped- well, she didn’t want to think about that.

After a while, or maybe it wasn’t, she didn’t know how much time had passed, she pushed through some bushes into an open clearing. If she looked up, the gap in the trees offered a small scrap of the sky, and her eyes flittered around the constellations, wishing she’d listened to her aunt when she’d tried to teach her how to navigate by the stars.

Having finally come to a halt, her legs almost shook with exhaustion, and so, despite the screaming in her head telling her to keep going, that if she stopped she was dead, she grabbed the trunk of the nearest tree, and slid down into the pile of leaves at its base. The bark dug into her hands, but the pain warmed them, and she rubbed them together to make them feel a little less like ice. The wind danced around her in razor sharp spirals, and she wished she could escape. Against her better judgement, she curled up as tightly as possible, closing her eyes and begging for sleep. But then the wind stopped.

Her heart leapt into her throat as panic rose within her once more. The sense that something was _right there in front of her_ filled her with dread, but caused her to open her eyes again, and suddenly she couldn’t breathe.

A face looked down at her, mouth wide in an imitation of a smile, with impossibly sharp teeth glinting in the darkness. Something in its eyes seemed _wrong_ , tiny flecks of silver around pupils so large that no white surrounded around them. And it didn’t blink. Gigi wanted to scream, but her lungs didn’t have any oxygen; she wanted to run, but her limbs were filled with lead.

“Why are you in my forest?” The creature’s voice seemed to echo around the clearing, coming from every direction at once, despite its mouth moving right in front of her.

“I…” Gigi tried to speak, her lungs burning from the effort, “I don’t know.” She flinched as the creature dragged one of its claws up her arm lightly, and though it didn’t seem threatened by her, Gigi’s veins were still full of petrified adrenaline. The creature cocked its head to the side, and Gigi could make out it had curly hair; long and woven with flowers and plants, but it was almost like they’d grown there, rather than been braided in. Its ears were thin and pointed, taller than the creature’s head, with thread-like vines spiralling around them to the very tip. 

“Who are you?” The creature moved, too fast for Gigi to even comprehend, but now she was lying on her back in the centre of the clearing, the night sky above her head blocked out by the creature’s shadow.

“G- Gigi,” she managed to say. The wind still hadn’t returned. “Gigi Goode.” She probably shouldn’t have revealed her full name to the creature, not if the legends were to be believed, but it was too late now.

“Gigi Goode.” The creature drew the words out, its tongue forming the syllables slowly. Its claw stroked the side of her face gently, but the sharp point still caused her to shudder. She couldn’t tell if the creature was bent over her, or if it was straddling her, but she couldn’t feel any weight over her hips. It was too dark to see clearly, but the creature’s joints seemed to imply the former, bending in ways no human could ever possibly achieve. “You shouldn’t be here, Gigi Goode.”

Her breaths were shaky and uneven; fear gave her tunnel vision, and yet she couldn’t look away from the creature, and its huge dark eyes. They seemed to look into her very soul. But then the creature jumped backwards, leaving Gigi exposed, but continued to watch her from a distance.

“Goodbye Gigi Goode.” It said, as the forest around them fell away into empty fields, with no sign the trees ever existed. As the creature turned to leave, Gigi called after it, her voice trembling.

“What are you?”

The creature gave no response, disappearing into the mist. But inside Gigi’s head, as she turned tail and fled towards a light in the distance, a word, in the creature’s soft voice, echoed throughout her entire skull, almost painful, but not quite.

_Crystal._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey chapter 2 already? what? (updates probs wont be this regular in the future lmao)
> 
> hope you all enjoy reading! <3

The light turned out to be a run-down farmhouse, and the old couple living there opened the door without a word once they saw her. They barely spoke at all, the short broken English they did manage, Gigi could barely understand, her mind whirling so fast she couldn’t focus. The woman, Birna, gave her a cup of something warm and herbal smelling, and Gigi gladly accepted it, mumbling thank-yous as she cradled it in her hands, letting the warmth seep back into her frozen fingers. It tasted familiar as she cautiously sipped from the chipped mug, but she couldn’t recall when she’d ever tried it before. 

“Why are you here?” The old lady guided her to a wooden stool beside a table, drawing the curtains over the window beside them so Gigi couldn’t see outside anymore. It should’ve been comforting. It wasn’t. 

“I don’t-” Her hands shook a little, and she set down the cup so she wouldn’t spill it everywhere. “I was in the forest and-” 

“There is no forest,” the old woman snapped, her voice holding none of the slow impassiveness it had contained before, and Gigi shrank back, her gaze dropping down to her lap as she worried her lip between her teeth nervously. Setting a folded blanket on the table beside her, and telling her she could sleep on the floor, the old woman shuffled away, the door creaking shut behind her. The blanket smelt musty, and made her want to cough, but she pulled it tight around her shoulders regardless. She needed the warmth.

She checked her phone, but it had only 10% battery, and she doubted the couple would have a charger. There was still no service.

She glanced towards the door again, before pulling back the curtains, and looking out of the window into the pitch black night in the direction of where the forest had been. Where there was no longer any forest. Where there had never been any forest, according to the old woman. But there had been something in her gaze, and the tone of her voice as she spoke made Gigi unsure. Voices drifted in from the other room—the couple were talking rapidly, but Gigi couldn’t understand them, hell, she didn’t even recognise the language. The lights above her flickered, and gave out altogether, leaving the room in darkness. Gigi shivered again. Something in her gut told her this place wasn’t right either; different to the wrongness of the forest, of _Crystal_ , but she couldn’t tell which was worse.

Out of the corner of her eye, something shifted in the fields outside, but she shook her head. Surely she was just imagining things, her brain playing tricks from exhaustion, and she shut the curtains without a second look. If she just went to sleep, everything would be okay. She’d wake up and none of this would be real. It couldn’t be. Could it?

\----

She woke at dawn to sunlight filtering through the curtains. She was still in the farmhouse, with the cold stone floor beneath her. Her whole body ached, and a lingering weight in her chest told her that it wasn’t a dream. She pulled herself up onto her unsteady feet, still clinging to the idea that at least _some_ part of this wasn’t real—Crystal would be the obvious one. No such creature could exist, right? But as she found the bathroom and looked into the mirror, the doubt in her mind disappeared. Despite the cracks and the dirt distorting her image, a thin purple line snaked below her eye and along her cheek, exactly where Crystal had touched her. Her breath caught in her throat.

Her hand trembled as she traced it with her finger, and as she touched it, she flinched. Like an electric shock had coursed through her, almost painful but not quite. She took a deep breath. Once the old couple were awake, she’d ask them for help, but first she needed to clear her head; she needed to think straight. So she quietly slipped out through the front door, shoving her hands in her pockets as she walked along the edge of the field, keeping close to the fence. The wind wasn’t as harsh as last night, but it was still cool against her skin. In the open air she allowed herself to breathe deeply again, allowed her limbs to relax. She could see for miles in every direction; nothing could hurt her. She didn’t need to panic. At least, not about that.

But then, as she turned to glance back at the farmhouse to see how far she’d walked, the sensation of something breathing down her neck made her stop, tensing instantly.

“Why did you come back, Gigi Goode?” 

_Crystal_

The wind wasn’t blowing anymore. She tried to turn around, but slipped on a molehill she’d not realised was there. Her hands hit the hardened earth and she cried out, a stone cutting a jagged line across her left palm. 

Before she could blink, Crystal was crouched beside her, grabbing her hand and staring at it intently. Gigi felt she should probably pull away, but didn’t trust she was strong enough to do so. She allowed herself to look at Crystal properly now; and despite the sunlight shining down over them, she still couldn’t make out all of its features, and it seemed to flicker around the edges, like a bad quality vintage film. What she could see though, wasn’t as horrifying as she’d anticipated. Sure, its teeth and eyes instilled a fear deep inside of her, but Crystal’s face was surprisingly gentle. 

Crystal’s eyes stared intently at the blood—the cut wasn’t deep, but it stung. It’d definitely need antiseptics, but before Gigi could do anything, Crystal leant forwards, its tongue darting out to lick over the wound. Gigi stiffened, but she couldn’t look away as Crystal pulled back, its eyes wide. But the cut on her hand no longer hurt, as though it had been cleaned and bandaged. 

“Thank you?” she said hesitantly, frowning at her hand, before looking back up to Crystal, who had the same unsettling smile as last night. She was about to speak again when she noticed the forest flickering into view behind Crystal. “What the fuck is happening? That _wasn’t_ there before and they _said_ it didn’t exist and-” She shook her head violently, breathing fast, “Where am I?” Crystal didn’t reply, but stroked Gigi’s arm softly until her breathing returned to normal. 

“Something about you is strange, Gigi Goode”

“Says you” Gigi laughed humourlessly, too exhausted to care whether those words would cause her death. She didn’t think Crystal would kill her, but she also didn’t knew what it was capable of. And those claws, those teeth; they couldn’t have been created with peaceful intent.

Confusion flittered across Crystal’s face as it cocked its head to the side, “What do you mean?”

“What even _are_ you, Crys-” 

Crystal’s face hardened, and one hand snapped out to cover Gigi’s mouth before she could finish, the sharp points of its claws digging into her cheeks as she inhaled sharply, her eyes widening in fear.

“Do not say that aloud.” It hissed sharply, voice echoing around the field and inside Gigi’s brain. This time it did hurt, and she whimpered behind Crystal’s hand. Suddenly Crystal seemed several times more threatening, flickering even more around the edges, and as it opened its mouth its teeth glinted in the sunlight like polished glass. Gigi had no idea how she’d thought that face was gentle.

But then another word rang through her head, the voice less angry, less painful. “Álfur.”

Crystal shook its head, and Gigi knew this was another thing she shouldn’t say out loud. When she didn’t move, Crystal lowered its hand, thumb tracing over the indents its claws had left in Gigi’s face with an almost apologetic look.

“You should go.” Crystal was suddenly standing, staring in the direction of the farmhouse, and Gigi pushed herself upright to follow. “Be wary, Gigi Goode. You can’t trust everybody.” Gigi blinked, and Crystal was gone, along with the forest. Like it’d never even existed. 

She suppressed a shiver, giving one last look at the empty fields before turning back, questions swirling around her head, all looping back to the same thing. Crystal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is probably gonna contain all sorts of mixed up folklore but mainly icelandic since thats what i'm most familiar with :D
> 
> Comments and kudos brighten my day! Hope you enjoyed and ily <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back bitches! Lmao I had a little writers block but I'm bac on my ~~bullshit~~ game now so everything's good! Hope yall enjoy the chapter <3

Crystal’s words replayed over and over in Gigi’s head as she pushed open the door to the farm house, cringing as it creaked, the noise echoing loudly through the silence. She hoped she hadn’t disturbed the old couple, but as she walked inside, they were already sat at the table, eating their breakfast. Their gaze was unblinking as they turned to look at her, and their faces were unreadable. Her stomach knotted as she awkwardly made her way past them, and into the room where she’d slept. The blanket was gone. It was like she’d never been there at all. Her phone wasn’t there either, and for a moment, she panicked, before remembering it was safely tucked inside her pocket. Sure, it was useless, but it was comforting knowing it was there.

She wondered if she could ask Birna for some breakfast; the last thing she’d eaten before the herbal drink last night had been- She frowned, trying to think back, but her mind hit a blank wall. She could remember vague _concepts_ of what had happened before last night, but specific details—where she lived, her friends’ names—weren’t there. The room felt suddenly cold around her, and goose pimples appeared down her arms as she shivered, pangs of anxiety snaking through her chest. Something wasn’t right.

She tugged her fingers through her long hair, trying to remove the worst of the tangles, barely noticing the pain. She wished she could tie it up, but she didn’t have a hair tie, so she tucked it behind her ears and into the back of her jacket to keep it out of the way. The old man, whose name she hadn’t caught yet, was waiting for her as she left the room—an axe slung over his shoulder, and he stood a full foot taller than her, his face stony.

“Food,” he said with a thick accent, gesturing towards the kitchen, and Gigi mumbled a hurried thanks, scurrying out of his way. The kitchen was empty, but a bowl of what looked like porridge sat on the table, and Gigi’s stomach rumbled, despite the fact it was grey and resembled something you’d usually feed to pigs. It tasted just as bad as it looked, but she was hungry enough that she didn’t care. 

Birna appeared behind her almost exactly as she finished, snatching the bowl with her wrinkled hands. 

“Could I-” she began, and Birna stopped, turning around to face her again. “Could I stay here tonight?” Birna eyed her warily, and Gigi worried she’d refuse. “I can do work on the farm to repay you, since I haven’t got any money,” she added, hoping that she’d sympathise with her. 

“Fine,” Birna said after a moment, “You can go and dig the potatoes.” She pointed out towards the fields behind the house, and Gigi smiled gratefully, following her directions outside. 

She found the old man in the shed beside the house, and asked him for a trowel. He stared at her blankly for a moment, and concern seeped into the edges of her thoughts, but then he passed her some tools in a brown burlap sack, and turned away, clearly uninterested in further conversation. 

Trying to remain optimistic, she found the vegetable patch, crouching down to start digging, when a dull thunk noise scared her from behind. She looked around, the old man was chopping thick logs down into firewood, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she was just getting paranoid. But then she remembered Crystal’s words again, and the worry wormed its way back into her brain.

An hour later, she’d dug about half of the potatoes—her back ached, and there was soil caked under her nails, but the sack was almost full, and she felt a small glimmer of pride at her work. She’d never really done things like this before, never grown her own food, but it was almost satisfying knowing that she’d helped contribute to what they’d eat tonight. Not that they were her potatoes though.

The chopping noise had been constant, an almost comforting background rhythm to her work—six chops per potato, she counted. Until it stopped. 

She didn’t notice it at first, only when a lingering sense that something was missing grew strong enough in her gut did she realise.

But as she looked over her shoulder, the old man toppled forwards, crashing into the ground, with the axe landing in front of him, barely a foot away from Gigi. Too shocked to scream, she stared at it in horror, her hand tightly clutching the trowel until her knuckles turned white. It took her a full minute to remember she should check if the old man was okay. 

She crawled backwards, and knelt beside him, gently pushing at his shoulder to roll him onto his back, but he slapped her hand away. She recoiled as he tentatively pushed himself to his feet. He grabbed the axe with a snarl, whilst glaring fiercely at her, before storming away, his movements so fast that she only briefly glimpsed the purple bruising spreading down the left side of his head.

Her breathing shook, and her hands trembled as she went back to her digging, pulling potato after potato out of the ground, and deliberately ignoring the large split in the wood surrounding the vegetable patch that the axe had caused. Desperately trying to avoid thinking about how easily that could’ve been her head.

\----

_The forest was warm, welcoming, whispering in a thousand tongues as she returned, and slammed shut as soon as she crossed the boundary. Crystal wanted to scream. Her lungs burned with angry flames, and all her muscles cried out in protest. The ferns quivered beneath her feet, the flowers murmuring comforting words, but she didn’t listen. Her claws stung from what she had just done, but she ignored the pain. Something about Gigi… intrigued her…_

_Something about her made her risk being seen. Made her protect her._

_Something about Gigi made her a target._

_Crystal didn’t know what it was yet, but she’d be damned if she wasn’t going to figure it out, before it was too late._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't be doing Crystal's POV very much but ya get a little snippet here ;)
> 
> Also, no spoilers but asdfghjk _the finale_ omg
> 
> Comments/kudos are wonderful! ily, hope you have a great day, and to anyone involved in the riots, protect yourselves and stay safe, please <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayy new chapter! Hope yall enjoy it :D  
> Also, don't google translate the icelandic unless you want spoilers, which i'd recommend against xD

The sun was hot on the back of Gigi’s neck as it grew closer to midday. The air itself wasn’t _warm_ per se, but the sun was constant, and her skin soon grew uncomfortable. Wiping away a few beads of sweat, she pushed herself to her feet, struggling to lift the almost-full sack of potatoes to take inside. She didn’t knock as she opened the door, and she heard the old couple talking again.

“Ég sló næstum henni, en eitthvað skellti mér í mig áður en ég gat gert það.” The old man’s voice was low and rough, like the scraping of a poker against the metal grate of a fire, and Gigi had no idea what he was saying.

“Hafðu ekki áhyggjur, næst muntu ná árangri-” Birna replied, her voice equally raspy, breaking off as she realised Gigi had joined them. She turned to look Gigi in the eye, her unblinking stare causing tendrils of anxiety to curl in her stomach. “Talar þú íslensku?”

Gigi stared blankly back, unsure whether it was a question or not, and either way she didn’t know what she’d been asked. Birna seemed pleased at her lack of response, something resembling a smile tugging at her wrinkled lips. 

“I have the potatoes?” Gigi forced her voice not to quiver as she held out the sack, and the old man took it without a word. She flinched a little as his hand grazed hers, and something in his eyes told her that it amused him, and she instinctively took a step back. 

“There’s another sack in the shed,” he said, and Gigi nodded, slipping outside again, relieved to be out of the stiflingly tense atmosphere, free from the sense of nervousness they gave her. After finding the sack, she returned to the vegetable patch and kneeled down, her jeans getting progressively dustier from the ground. She continued digging. This time it was carrots, and she took a bite from one after brushing off the soil to curb her pangs of hunger. It tasted a little odd, but she ate it anyway, it was only a carrot, after all. It couldn’t hurt her.

\----

That evening, the blanket appeared again in the room, but despite the work she’d been doing all day, Gigi couldn’t sleep. She wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, the material a little scratchy against her arms, and sat at the table instead, tracing patterns into the wood with her fingers. The curtains flapped a little in the breeze, the window having been left slightly ajar, and she found the breeze soothing. Darkness flooded the room, the lights still probably broken, but Gigi didn’t mind, the moonlight illuminated anything she really needed to see, which, admittedly, wasn’t that much. 

The old couple had presumably gone to bed hours ago, as she hadn’t heard anything from them in a while, but she couldn’t be certain. Hell, she didn’t even know how much time had passed, since she wasn’t sure if they even owned a clock—they seemed to live by the movement of the sun, rather than any solid measurement of time. It struck Gigi as strange, but she didn’t comment on it, at least not aloud. She was already mildly intimidated by them, and she was fairly sure they disliked her, so she didn’t want to annoy them with unnecessary questions. 

There was a creak from the window, and Gigi froze, her hand stopping mid swirl on the table. There was no other noise, but she swung the window open fully, reaching out, grabbing at whatever she could. Hoping she’d been mistaken, and it was only the normal sounds of an old, worn house. But her breath stopped in her throat as she actually caught something. 

It was warm, soft even, like a hand, but the ends extended further than fingers should, their texture becoming rough, bark-like and sharp. Her eyes widened in the darkness as she realised.

“It’s you.” The name was left unsaid, Gigi heeding the other’s warning, but there was no mistaking it was Crystal.

“Let go.” 

Gigi’s grip loosened, so Crystal could pull away if it wanted, but it didn’t, its hand linked with Gigi’s.

“Why did you come here, all the way to the house?” Her voice was a whisper, talking any louder would ruin something, she knew it. The the moon was in front of her, meaning Crystal’s features were cast into shadow, but she could tell it wasn’t angry. Crystal hesitated before speaking, and Gigi gently squeezed its hand, hoping the gesture would help to sooth it. 

“You’re not safe, Gigi Goode,” Crystal eventually said, “especially not here.” Gigi furrowed her brow, and glanced back inside in the direction of the old couple’s room. When her gaze returned to Crystal, it nodded. The motion meant its face caught the moonlight, illuminated in a way that daylight could not. Those dark eyes nearly sparkled, and the shadows danced within her curly hair, and Gigi found she wanted to reach out and run her fingers through it. She licked her lips subconsciously, not noticing how Crystal followed the motion with her eyes, and mimicked it.

She probably shouldn’t have been thinking that about someone, some _thing_ (?) who could easily kill her, shouldn’t be focusing on that when she’d just learnt that the old couple were dangerous, and yet, both the feelings in her stomach and her brain were telling her that Crystal was beautiful. And she couldn’t find it in herself to disagree.

She realised a moment too late that she’d been staring, but Crystal didn’t seem to mind, her lips twitching into something of a gentle smile. Gigi could still see her razor sharp teeth, but they didn’t bother her as much anymore. She moved their still-entwined hands closer to her, leaning a little more out of the window, and Crystal took a small step forwards. Her breath formed small clouds as she exhaled, the night air cool around her, but she didn’t feel its chill, not with Crystal standing so close to her. Not when they were only inches apart.

Just when Gigi thought they couldn’t get any closer, Crystal flinched, her ears twitching at a barely there creak of the floorboards. At a low sigh that was barely audible. Gigi strained to hear more, but Crystal’s hearing was clearly superior, as she jerkily pulled away. 

“Be careful.” Her eyes darted around, lingering on Gigi before jumping back, her long legs carrying her across the open fields with ease, until the forest surrounded her, and once more she was gone. Gigi’s heart pounded in her chest, and she pulled the blanket tighter around her as she closed the window, drawing the curtains this time, and lying down on the floor, just as sleepless as she had been before.

Her mind was filled with worries, anxieties, terror; she didn’t know what the old couple might do, especially when she was asleep and vulnerable. But, like a soothing warmth, thoughts of Crystal wrapped around her like an embrace, pushing away the negative feelings. If Gigi breathed in deeply enough, she swore she could smell that earthy scent, like a forest after a night of rain that followed Crystal around; if she let herself imagine it, she could almost pretend Crystal was there with her, her long arms wrapped around her protectively. There was a small smile on her lips as she finally closed her eyes, her last sleepy thought that she couldn’t quite remember when Crystal had become “she” and not “it”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come find me on insta @versti_fantur_sem_eg_veit for some (bad) Cryptid!Crystal art lmao
> 
> Comments/kudos are wonderful and ily <3
> 
> Everyone involved in protests/riots, please stay safe and protect yourselves <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right so this isnt technically a proper chapter, but I didnt think it fit well with the end of the last one, and I wanted to leave yall on a cliffhanger rather than include it in the next one so,,, here ya go! Enjoy! <3

There was someone in her room. 

Curtains blocked out what little light the moon offered, but Gigi could sense them. Tall, menacing. She couldn’t move. Her eyes searched the darkness, and the faint edges of a shape drew closer. Closer.

Closer.

They were practically in front of her now, and Gigi fought to keep her breathing steady—maybe if they thought she was still asleep they’d leave her alone. But then they raised something high in the air, and every instinct in her head told her she needed to move. 

She lunged sideways, her body protesting as it hit the uneven floor, the blanket tangling around her arms. The thing they’d been wielding, something sharp and metallic, embedded itself into the floorboards where she had just been lying, splitting them wide open.

Screaming. Maybe it was her, she couldn’t tell. So loud she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think. She just had to get away, had to run. 

Whatever it was roared, wrenching the weapon from the floor and thundering after her as she fled. 

Blood pounded in her ears as she shoved the front door open, slamming it behind her and running as fast as her legs could carry her out into the fields. 

It was still following her, she was sure of it, but as she put more and more distance between herself and the farmhouse, and she could no longer hear its heavy footsteps, her adrenaline began to ebb away. Her heart still beat furiously in her chest, and her hands shook, but she refused to stop. Not yet. 

It was almost sunrise when her legs finally gave out, and she crashed to the ground with a choked sob. She used a fencepost to pull herself into a seated position, hugging her knees to her chest, and allowing the tears to fall from her eyes. They were hot against her skin as the wind whipped around her violently, her jacket too thin to keep her warm, but she pulled it closer regardless. She didn’t yet notice the trickle of red slowly making its way down her left arm.

In her mind she cried out for help, for _Crystal_ , unable to form real words through her tears, but no one came. No forest appeared, only the endless, unsympathetic fields around her, and the terrifying feeling of being completely alone that curled into her brain and sank its claws in. 

The sun rose behind her, its colours muted through the thick layers of clouds covering the sky, but Gigi didn’t care. She just wanted to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are wonderful! Ily <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This shouldve been uploaded tomorrow but i have no self restraint (: Hope you enjoy!

She didn’t know how long she sat there, her back pressed against the wooden fence post, her eyes red with tears that would not come. The sun rose, and dragged itself across the sky, but she couldn’t see where it was, the clouds having grown even denser, so it almost seemed to be dusk already. She knew she couldn’t stay there forever, despite the feelings of emptiness and exhaustion overwhelming her, so eventually she stood, dusting down her jeans out of habit, and ignoring the way they clung to her legs, damp from where she’d lain in the early morning dew.

When she moved her arm, though, it felt heavy, and ached, as though it was filled with lead. Frowning, she tugged her sleeve upwards, her eyes widening as she realised the fabric was soaked through with blood, staining it crimson. Her attacker must have managed to get her as she’d tried to escape. Once she could see it properly, her panic subsided a little—she had a cut, but thankfully it wasn’t as deep as she’d anticipated. Now that she was aware of it, though, the pain intensified, and she bit her lip to try and distract herself. At least it wasn’t bleeding anymore, and since there wasn’t much else she could do, she pulled her sleeve back down, and started walking. She’d have to end up somewhere eventually, right?

The fields stretched out in front of her as far as she could see, and probably even further than that, with no hills or valleys or trees to disrupt the endless greyish green. She let her mind wander as she stumbled over rabbit holes and mole hills, her ankles occasionally twisting but she ignored it. She had to keep going.

At first, she tried not to think about whatever had attacked her, instead trying to focus on her real life. Her life back home, with her friends, her family. She desperately searched her memories for any clues, but she kept drawing blanks. Again. As though someone had rubbed them out, like a marker on a dry erase board. They were there, but only as outlines; their personalities empty.

“Ugh!” She yelled aloud, dragging a hand through her hair in frustration. Why couldn’t she _remember_ anything? What the fuck was happening? And where the _hell_ was Crystal?

_Crystal…_

She couldn’t ignore the possibility that whatever had attacked her could have been Crystal. She hoped it wasn’t; she really hoped it wasn’t true. But those long limbs, that inhuman speed… Gigi couldn’t deny the similarities. Her chest ached at the fact she might’ve betrayed her like that, but she shook her head, forcibly dispelling the thought from her mind—more likely it was the old couple, Crystal had warned her about them, after all. Even if the thing had moved far too quickly for a human, especially one as elderly as the couple appeared to be. 

Chills ran down her spine, and she shoved her hands into her jacket pockets, hoping it’d keep her mildly warmer. When her fingers clutched around nothingness, though, and she realised she must have dropped her phone in her haste to escape, the worry and panic she’d been trying so hard to quell resurfaced. Realistically, she knew her phone was useless, but it was the one connection she had that linked her back to her home, and now it was gone. Severed like a branch from a tree. She felt incomplete without it.

It was as though something inside her finally snapped, and Gigi didn’t know how much more she could take. With a long exhale, she sank to the ground again, fisting her hands in the grass, the dark green starkly contrasting the paleness of her skin, which looked almost grey in the low light. She wanted to scream and cry but she couldn’t, the lump in her throat choking her, trapping her emotions inside of her when all she wanted to do was let them free. Instead, she rested her head on her knees, screwing her eyes shut, as if that would block out everything she’d seen.

A hand came to rest on her shoulder, its warmth seeping through her clothes, and instinctively she leant into its comforting touch. But then she froze.

Inhaling sharply, she didn’t quite dare to look up, but as the hand didn’t move, she knew she should. If only to see who (or what) it was. Hesitantly, she lifted her head, but she was met with a huge canopy of pine trees towering above her, their old needles carpeting the ground under her legs. The trees reached up into the sky, impossibly tall, and blocked out what little sun remained. Glancing around further, she saw Crystal crouched behind her, her hand rubbing gentle circles into Gigi’s shoulder. She couldn’t stop the smile that spread onto her lips, and she only barely restrained herself from throwing her arms around Crystal’s neck and pulling her into a hug. 

“What happened?” Crystal asked slowly, as Gigi moved into a more comfortable position, tucking her hair away from her face. In between shaky breaths, she explained the event of the past twelve or so hours. Maybe it was just the light, but she could swear Crystal’s face darkened, flickering around the edges, and her ears twitched. Gigi could almost feel the anger radiating off her in waves. If it wasn’t so clearly directed at her attacker, she would’ve been scared Crystal’s rage was because of her.

A small flicker of warmth in her stomach reminded her that this meant it couldn’t have been Crystal, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Her breathing steadied as Crystal pulled her closer, Gigi’s head resting against her chest. 

“Thank you,” Gigi mumbled softly after several minutes if silence, not really knowing what she was thankful for besides that she wasn’t alone anymore. 

The breeze had died down around them as Crystal eventually pulled away, and Gigi immediately hated the loss of contact. Crystal looked as though she were about to speak, but hesitated. The words didn’t seem to form correctly in her mouth.

“I need to ask you something, Gigi Goode.” Crystal said after a moment, her eyes not leaving Gigi’s.

Her face was serious, and Gigi nodded wordlessly, resting on her palms as she leant back slightly. 

“What do you know about your parents?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> COmments/kudos are wonderful and ily <3
> 
> Also, if you can, please support the BLM movement! There are some links to petitions and donations [here](https://blmsites.carrd.co/).


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayy another chapter, I'm so glad yall are enjoying these, your comments make me cry yall are so sweet <3

“What?” Gigi frowned, wincing as she accidentally put too much weight on her injured arm. “What do my parents have to do with this?” Crystal gave her a look, so Gigi sighed and tried to think, pushing through the fog clouding her memories for even the briefest glimpse of who her family was. She had to remember. She _had_ to.

“I… I have a dad,” she said after a long pause, but she was sure that it was true. “But I don’t… I don’t think I have a mom.” She was less certain on that point, and the hesitancy in her voice betrayed that, but unlike her dad, there wasn’t a trace of a mother she could remember. Crystal’s claws tapped rhythmically on the ground, and it sounded a little like rain. It was soothing.

“You’re unsure?” Crystal asked, tilting her head to the side, and Gigi nodded.

“I can’t really remember… anything.” She exhaled slowly as Crystal’s eyes widened (or rather gave the impression of widening, since there wasn’t really anything for them to widen into), her hands clutching the soft needles beneath her. Gigi wondered for a moment why it didn’t hurt her hands, but immediately pushed the thought away—they had bigger problems right now. Crystal didn’t speak for a few minutes, and as the silence continued the urge to apologise for it grew larger and larger.

“Then this might be far worse than I’d thought,” Crystal eventually said, and Gigi paled. If Crystal was that concerned, then it must be something truly frightening. The air seemed to chill around her, and she leant closer to Crystal to regain some warmth. “Gigi, I need you to try and remember anything you can about your mother.” 

Crystal’s big dark eyes stared down into Gigi’s, and the purple mark on Gigi’s face tingled. She reached up to try and soothe it, but as soon as her fingers brushed against her skin, it was as though it had been set alight; it burned, fiercely, like a hundred fire ants had attacked her face, but she couldn’t move, couldn’t scream, paralysed by whatever was causing it. 

Crystal hissed a string of angry words in a foreign language, cursing under her breath as she lunged forward and ripped Gigi’s hand from her face; gently laying her down on the ground as her muscles finally relaxed. 

“So much worse.”

\----

Gigi still found it difficult to move properly, her muscles twitching and cramping hours after Crystal had stopped- well, whatever the hell it was that had happened. Crystal was yet to explain exactly what it was, and, after making sure Gigi was safe, she had run off, deeper into the woods, impossibly light on her feet, the fallen branches remaining intact, even after she had stepped on them. 

Gigi tugged at a loose thread in the hem of her jacket, twisting it around her finger until her fingertip was red. The feeling distracting her from the dull ache present in the rest of her body. If she concentrated hard enough, she swore she could hear faint whispering coming from all directions. It was too faint for her to hear the words properly, but it was there, and it was constant. She could almost pretend it was just the rustling of the leaves, but somehow, she knew otherwise. It should’ve been unsettling, but it wasn’t.

The forest didn’t feel the same as it had the first time; it still made her wary, but there was no anxious terror in her stomach telling her she needed to escape. Maybe it was because she knew she had Crystal now. Or maybe she’d been so terrified for days now that she couldn’t even tell when she was scared anymore.

Glancing round again for any sign of Crystal returning, but finding none, she lay down—the earth cool under her back, the needles crinkling and crunching; and the whispering made her eyes heavy. She was exhausted—both mentally and physically—and Crystal wouldn’t let anything harm her now, right? As her eyes drifted shut, she imagined the wind carrying her high above the trees, leading her home.

\----

Gigi wasn’t fully awake yet when Crystal scooped her up into her arms, cradling her towards her chest as she started to run; dodging trees as she moved faster, faster. Through her half shut eyes, she saw the low hanging branches reaching towards her face, and she flinched backwards, closer to Crystal, but the blows never came—Crystal nimbly jumping around them with dexterity and speed Gigi could barely begin to comprehend. 

As they ran, Gigi realised quite how close she was to Crystal, her head pressed up against Crystal’s collarbone, Crystal’s arms surrounding her. Despite her lingering panic, she couldn’t help the tingles flowing through her skin wherever Crystal was touching her, nor could she deny how much she never wanted them to stop. 

She bit her lip nervously. Speaking wasn’t the right thing to do here. Her hands were curled up against her chest from how she’d been sleeping, but she tentatively snaked them around Crystal’s chest, pulling her closer. If Crystal minded, she didn’t say anything, and Gigi secretly smiled to herself. They were running to, or from, something Gigi didn’t know, and she should almost certainly have been scared, but instead all she could think about was how nice it felt to be in Crystal’s arms.

Gigi sighed softly as Crystal started to slow, gazing upwards in the low light to study Crystal’s face. Crystal noticed her staring, her mouth quirking up at the side into a small smile as Gigi blushed. Her eyes remained focused on their destination though—some significant point within the dense mass of trees. Gigi glanced around, but gave up, there was no way she’d know where they were headed, especially as the light faded more and more every minute.

They came to a halt suddenly, and with no warning. Had Crystal not held her so tightly, Gigi was sure she’d have fallen to the ground. As it were, Crystal knelt down, allowing her sit down under some sheltered rocks which almost formed a cave above them. A small trickle of water soaked through the moss and created a tiny waterfall beside them, and Gigi ran her hand through it absently as Crystal sat down next to her.

“You’re certain you don’t remember anything?” Crystal asked, rubbing circled into Gigi’s back again, lingering over her shoulder blades. It sent even more tingles, almost painful this time, shooting through her skin, and Gigi pulled away, laughing a little.

“That tickles,” she smiled, but leant back against Crystal, “And no, not really. The last thing I remember fully is you chasing me in the forest.” She laughed again, but it was more forced, trying to disguise the pain acknowledging it caused her. Crystal was silent again, her hand hovering behind Gigi, but not quite touching her. 

“Try and get some more sleep,” Crystal whispered as she got to her feet again, her footsteps clacking on the stone as she slowly walked away. “I’ll be back soon, I promise. I just need to figure something out first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayy i'm alluding to something in this chapter, see if you can guess it ;)
> 
> Comments and kudos are amazing and ily <3
> 
> If you can, please consider donating to the BLM movement, or sign petitions!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayy another chapter! Hope yall enjoy!

A small wooden bowl was beside Gigi when she woke up again, and as she rubbed her eyes, she could make out Crystal at the far side of the clearing, halfway up one of the trees, almost blending in with the branches as she climbed effortlessly higher. Gigi allowed herself to watch, her eyes lingering on Crystal’s strong arms, the casual determination on her face, the way the flowers and vines in her hair almost seemed to intertwine and move of their own accord. With her uninjured arm, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, leaning against a mossy rock behind her and reaching for the bowl. Inside it was a mix of red and blue berries she didn’t recognise, and, after a moment’s hesitation, she ate a small red one. It wasn’t overly sweet, and left a slightly tart aftertaste, but it was the most appetising food she’d eaten in days, and she eagerly took another.

It wasn’t long before she finished them all, her fingers stained purple as she licked the juice from them. Crystal appeared by the cave entrance, taking the bowl and filling it with water from the small waterfall, before handing it back, and watching intently as Gigi drank. She wiped her mouth and set the bowl back down as Crystal sat beside her, her nose twitching as she looked over Gigi again.

“Are you bleeding?” Crystal frowned, and Gigi instinctively reached for her injured arm. “Let me see.” Gigi winced as she peeled back the fabric of her sleeve, and bit her lip, not looking towards Crystal as she licked at the wound. She stiffened at the touch of Crystal’s tongue, but soon the pain began to subside, and she sighed in relief. 

“I’ll make you a poultice,” Crystal said softly, stroking Gigi’s side to sooth her, then moving up to comb through her hair. Gigi leant into the touch, Crystal’s claws catching in the knots—she hadn’t brushed her hair properly in… a while—and tugged slightly, but Gigi didn’t mind. After a while her hands dropped back to her sides, tracing intricate patterns into the moss. Gigi couldn’t help but wonder if they were symbols—it wasn’t too much of a stretch to imagine that could be true.

It was almost dreamlike, really; their physical closeness and yet neither were touching the other, the morning mist that swirled around the base of the trees and snaked its long tendrils out towards them, like spirits calling out for a final embrace. She wanted to reach out, run her fingers through it and disperse it into nothingness, and yet something told her she shouldn’t, that it was far too dangerous. Crystal still hadn’t moved to get a poultice, and Gigi didn’t ask.

“Tell me.” 

Crystal sighed, staring out into the forest, Gigi’s gaze intense on her face. Several silent moments later, the echoing voice began speaking in Gigi’s head again. This time it was almost a whisper, but had a sharp, almost hesitant, sting in the words, and she had to fight to keep from flinching.

_I’ve told you before there is something strange about you, Gigi Goode. I may have figured out what it is._

Gigi’s breath caught in her throat, as she wordlessly encouraged Crystal to continue. Her hands trembled, and she held her knees tightly to stop them, her knuckles white.

_The mark, on your face-_

Gigi reached up to touch it, but Crystal swiped her hand away. “ _Don’t._ ”

_-it doesn’t do that. Not unless you’re-_ She hesitated. _Huldu._

Gigi turned to look at her, her brow creased in confusion. “What do you mean, Hul-” Crystal’s palm was covering her mouth before she could finish, and the panicked glint in Crystal’s eyes told her that whatever she was going to say was incredibly dangerous. Or incredibly powerful. Or both.

“The trees have ears, Gigi Goode.” Crystal’s voice echoed around them, like it had the first time they’d met, though this time Gigi wasn’t sure it was her that Crystal was trying to intimidate.

_Wounds inflicted with ill-intent against another Huldufólk can… trigger reactions when touched._ Crystal began again, her voice ringing inside Gigi’s head as she played with the moss beneath her hands, picking the sigils apart with her claws. _But I haven’t seen a reaction like yours in a long, long time._

Gigi remembered the paralysing pain, freezing her in place as her face burnt fiercely beneath her skin. She remembered the way all her muscles contracted, and how even when she was free of it, its lingering effects still caused her to bend double with exhaustion and agony. “Ill intent?”

Crystal looked away, “I didn’t know you; you were in my forest. I wanted you gone. At least for the first few minutes.” Despite the tension in the air, Gigi couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m glad you changed your mind.” She reached out and took Crystal’s hand in her own, squeezing gently. Crystal flinched away from the contact initially, not expecting it, but entwined them together again after a moment. “But what does it mean, if I am… you know,” she trailed off, letting Crystal fill in the blanks herself.

“It means that someone, or something brought you here. It means that they want you dead.”

Gigi’s blood ran cold in her veins as the meaning of Crystal’s words sank in. “But I’m a human, I’m _normal_.” She shook her head, trying to prove Crystal wrong even though she didn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. She knew she didn’t _feel_ inhuman, she felt the same as she always did, if a little more anxious than she would usually be. And it wasn’t like she had the ears, or the teeth, or anything else Crystal had, she just looked, well, normal! 

She adjusted herself against the rock, her back aching again, presumably from sleeping on hard stone surfaces for several days, and she awkwardly tried to stretch without accidentally elbowing Crystal, who gave her a strange look. Gigi blushed and looked away, but Crystal’s gaze didn’t waver, lingering on her shoulder blades for longer than was strictly necessary. 

“There’s a reason why back where you’re from we are called Hidden People,” Crystal said softly, her hand still tangled with Gigi’s. “But when you’re here, we start to become a lot more visible.” Crystal’s eyes flickered over her again, causing shivers to run down her spine. 

“Why is this place so different? Where _are_ we?”

Crystal shook her head, her hair catching on an outcrop of rock and snagging, ripping a flower in two. Before she could open her mouth to speak again, a shadow across the clearing caught her eye.

Her teeth glinted as she launched herself up, her claws scratching along the rocks, as her presence electrified, sending ripples through the still air. Gigi couldn’t move, pinned down by some invisible force as Crystal vanished with an infuriated yell. 

A whispered voice in her head told her to stay still and hide, but as she opened her eyes again, there was no sign of life to be found.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments/kudos bring me joy <3
> 
> also huldufolk means hidden people if youre curious
> 
> ily <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaa i'm sorry, life's been hectic so i'm sorry this chapter's late :( But now that it's here, I hope you enjoy <3

Gigi had barely moved out from the rocks all day, too scared by Crystal’s warning to risk it. Her stomach had started to rumble and she worried she’d have to adventure out to find some food, but when she looked for the bowl from earlier, it was full to the brim once more with berries. 

“What?” she said to herself as she took a berry—it was just as real as the ones before, and sweeter, she realised, as she ate one. The trees whispered louder, almost calling out to her, but she shook her head, refusing to listen. She turned away, her back to the trees, her hands clasped over her ears to shut out the noise that was growing, moment by moment. 

A snapped branch.

She barely heard it, but she tensed, fear vibrating through her body, and Crystal’s warning repeating in her head. Whatever it was didn’t make any other noise, but she could sense it getting closer, closer, and she tried to make herself as small as possible, but it was impossible that whatever it was wouldn’t see her—the cave didn’t offer much cover anyway.

A hand clasped her shoulder, and Gigi’s blood ran cold. She thrust her elbow backwards, connecting with something hard, and rolled to the side, preparing to run away as fast as she could. But as she looked up, her eyes widened.

“I’m so sorry,” she breathed as Crystal fell to her knees in front of her, and Gigi reached out to help her sit down. Jagged cuts crisscrossed over her chest, slowly oozing black liquid, and two of her claws had broken partway down. Her teeth glinted red, and Gigi didn’t want to think about what that meant. “What happened?”

“One of them found you, found us,” Crystal’s voice was rougher than usual, and Gigi stroked along her arm to soothe her as best she could. “It’s gone, but others will come.” Gigi desperately wanted to ask what “it” was, but she doubted Crystal would tell her. Plus she had a vague idea anyway, and it wasn’t good.

“Can I help you? Like, collecting things for salves?” she asked softly, but Crystal shook her head, badly disguising the wince as she moved too quickly. “Let me help you.”

“No.” Crustal pushed her hands away, moving backwards out of her reach, and Gigi frowned, biting her lip anxiously. 

“You’ve got to let me-”

“No!” Something in Crystal’s eyes glinted as she raised her voice, echoing through the forest and freezing Gigi in place as she tried to help again, fear overcoming her the same as it had that morning in the field. “I can do this myself.” 

Gigi stayed silent as Crystal wiped her mouth on the back of her hand, leaving bloody streaks that she didn’t dare comment on. The air around them felt thick, almost crackling with tension—or maybe it was something else, something that Gigi was too scared to name. 

“Get some water.” Crystal instructed, not looking at Gigi as she spoke, too busy examining the lacerations on her skin. Gigi nodded wordlessly, taking the bowl and emptying the berries onto the ground, before leaving to find the waterfall. It had somehow increased from a slow trickle to a moderate flow since she’d last seen it, but she ignored the questions running through her mind. It was probably best not to question it. It was hardly the strangest thing she’d encountered over the past few days.

As the water emptied into the bowl, a shadow in the woods caught her eye, flickering between the trees. She lost sight of it as she blinked, and her gaze flittered all around her, trying to relocate it before it could come any closer. But it was gone. 

The water spilling over the sides and onto her hands and jeans drew her back to the current issue, dark splashes spreading through the denim fabric and making it cling to her skin. She hated it. Tipping a little more water from the bowl so it wouldn’t overflow as she walked, she hurried back to Crystal, who gave her a small half-smile as she set the bowl down next to her.

Gigi watched as Crystal began to clean out her injuries, barely reacting as the water washed away the congealing blood, but she could see the pain in her eyes, which flinched shut with every drop. Could see how her fingers tensed and clutched the stones beneath her. The ache in Gigi’s shoulders intensified.

“I have some ideas.” Crystal’s voice broke through the silence, startling Gigi from her frozen concern.

“Hmm?”

“Of what kind of Huldu you are,” she clarified, her voice hitching as she snagged one of her broken claws on the ground. Instinctively, Gigi leant forward, taking Crystal’s hand between her own and softly squeezing it, massaging her palm gently. Crystal made no effort to pull away, and Gigi almost didn’t notice how her eyes lingered on their joined hands for much longer than they should have. “But I’ve got to ask you first, have you noticed anything changing about yourself?”

Gigi frowned, trying to think. She still felt normal, except for her back aching, but that was obviously due to how she’d been sleeping, so she shook her head. “Nope, nothing. Except for my arm.” She laughed a little, but Crystal didn’t join in. 

“Are you sure?”

Gigi nodded, reaching for the now empty water bowl. The air still crackled with- something, and as her fingers brushed Crystal’s side it jolted up her arm, causing her to gasp. It tingled, not painfully, but pulled at the back of her neck and down her spine, as though it was glowing white-hot but she couldn’t feel the heat. Crystal noticed her sudden panic and reached up to support her so she wouldn’t fall to the ground.

“My back-” Gigi stumbled over the words, unsure if they’d even been coherent. “It’s-” She couldn’t continue, the burning sensation splitting in two, as though her spine was being ripped apart. It didn’t _hurt_ but it was vastly uncomfortable and all she wanted was for it to stop.

Slowly, Crystal helped her to lay down on her front, a mossy rock beneath her head as Crystal held tightly to her hand.

“This… Only confirms what I’d suspected,” Crystal murmured softly, and Gigi’s eyes flickered up to meet hers in a pleading gaze. _Tell me._

Crystal took a deep breath, flickering around the edges as some of her injuries reopened. She still didn’t flinch, but her grip grew just a little tighter.

“Gigi Goode, I think you’re fae.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments/kudos are wonderful and ily <3


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayy heres another chapter! Hope yall enjoy! <3

Several hours had gone by, and the pain in her back had subsided enough for Gigi to lie relatively comfortably on the ground, but the idea that she could be… _fae_ had not sunk in yet. No. Crystal had sounded fairly certain, and Gigi found herself inclined to believe her, since she was yet to be wrong about anything else. She nibbled at her bottom lip, the pain momentarily distracting her from everything else. Part of her wanted to scream, wanted to yell ‘fuck this’ and run as far away as she could until she found home again, but the logical part of her reminded her how terrible of an idea that was. That, and the fact that currently she could barely move at all.

As she picked at a loose thread on her jacket, her eyes wandered over to where Crystal sat, just beyond the mouth of the cave, her hair falling softly around her like molten copper, a stark contrast to the shades of green, and shadows cast by the trees. Gold in the darkness.

Gigi smiled softly to herself; it was strange really, especially given the circumstances where, by all account, she should be panicking about her newly discovered heritage, but instead she felt oddly calm. Peaceful, even. A sense of being herself after a lifetime of not knowing she was pretending.

Crystal’s hands waved rhythmically, drawing patterns and swirls in the air as a slow navy mist flowed from her fingertips, intertwining into complicated knots and embroidery, dissipating after a moment into nothing but dust. Gigi had never seen anything quite so majestic, and she watched, transfixed as the designs became more intricate, the sigils glowing brighter and brighter until they were almost pure light. Crystal’s breaths sped up, more ragged with every movement, as though it were causing her physical pain, and Gigi’s chest ached to see her hurt. But as she watched, the injuries covering Crystal’s chest seemed to knit back together, the mist thinning into threads and binding her skin. It was so beautiful, Gigi couldn’t look away. 

\----

“We need to leave, we’re not safe here anymore.” Crystal held out her arm to Gigi to help her stand. Her back still ached, but, wth the tie that had passed, it had lessened even more, and she found that with Crystal’s support, she could walk properly again. She nodded and entwined their fingers, squeezing her hand gently. The pine needles crunched beneath their feet as they left the cave, left the small clearing, and Gigi gave it one last, lingering look before the trees closed behind her, the darkness and dense shrubbery obscuring it from view.

Together they trekked along invisible pathways Crystal knew from memory, pointing out roots and snares so Gigi wouldn’t injure herself, and apologising that she couldn’t carry her and run this time.

“It’s fine, I don’t mind walking,” Gigi said softly, swinging their linked hands a little, realising as she turned to look at Crystal just how easy it would be to lean in and press a kiss to her cheek. Or, if she were a little more daring, to take her chin and tilt it towards her own, and how little effort it would be to move closer and- 

She blinked and looked away hurriedly, hoping Crystal hadn’t noticed the blush suddenly colouring her cheeks. 

“We’re nearly there,” Crystal whispered after almost an hour had passed, their pace even slower than it had been when they began, and Gigi was grateful for the promised rest, her legs already aching and tired. The trees still seemed endless though, no sign of light between them, and their branches as gnarled and relentless as always. Until they weren’t.

Almost out of nowhere, they opened into a small field, and Gigi gasped. The dark swirling greens of the pine trees flowing out into a meadow of wildflowers that swayed gently in the breeze. The grass was long, reaching up to her knees, and she almost felt guilty crushing it with every step. She tried her best to avoid the flowers, their fragile heads bobbing from the vibrations of her footsteps. Beside her, Crystal chuckled.

“You don’t want to hurt them?” Crystal asked, her voice bright, like chiming bells, and Gigi shook her head. “I’m not surprised, faeries often care for things of a delicate nature.”

‘Then why do I care so much about you, when you are far stronger than I could ever hope to be?’ Gigi thought to herself, tucking her hair behind her ears as Crystal led her across the clearing. In the centre, a ring of mottled grey stones stopped the grasses from proceeding any further, and Crystal silently encouraged her to enter it.

As they sat down, Gigi could barely see over the plants, and she smiled warmly at Crystal. “I really like it here, it feels safe.” 

Crystal’s deep black eyes gazed softly back at her, the silver flecks swirling slowly, like stars at midnight. She didn’t respond, but she didn’t need to. The slow stroke of her fingertips on Gigi’s hand was enough. Eventually though, the stroking stopped, and Gigi turned away from watching the clouds wander aimlessly across the sky, all white and pink and cream, and instead looked towards Crystal, who had curled up tightly on the grass. Her face was relaxed and soft, her nose and ears occasionally twitching in the breeze, and warmth spread through Gigi’s chest like a familiar embrace. The urge to wrap her up in her arms and hold her tightly thrummed through her, but Gigi forced herself to stay back, merely watching her sleeping friend with affection in her heart.

A bird whistled in a faraway tree, and Gigi had an idea. Tentatively removing her hand from beneath Crystal’s, she crawled out of the circle, standing up and dragging her fingers through the grass and coming to a halt once she reached a flower. Murmuring a small apology, she picked it from the root, stroking its velvety pink petals as she picked another, and another, until she carried a whole bunch. A rainbow of every colour and shape one could possibly imagine.

Finding the circle again, she crouched down, a smile quirking her lips upwards again as she glanced at Crystal’s sleeping form. She laid out the flowers on the ground, selecting a few at a time and braiding them together, careful not to rush or tear any of the petals. Slowly, as she added more and more, they began to form the shape she wanted, and a sense of satisfaction grew within her. The colours complimented each other well—the light blues against pale violets, with shades of pink threaded between them. Gigi was rather proud of her handiwork. 

It was soothing, really, the repetitive motions of her hands a calming change from the chaos of the past few days, and once the crown was done, she almost wished she still had more to add. Brushing a lock of hair out of Crystal’s eyes, she leant forward, setting the flower crown on the top of her head, balancing it between her ears. Big mistake. If Gigi had thought Crystal was cute before, this made it so much worse, and the blush on her cheeks darkened. Lying down on her side, she let her eyes focus on Crystal again, before fluttering shut. For the first time in a while, she felt truly happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am ~gay~ therefore I'm legally obliged to write these two in flower crowns. Sue me. asdfghj I wanted a slightly happier/more cute chapter to split up all the dark stuff, so here ya go!
> 
> Comments and kudos are wonderful and ily <3

**Author's Note:**

> Your comments and kudos inspire and motivate me so much, so if you have feedback i'd love to hear it! ily <3
> 
> Also, to anyone currently involved in protests/riots, please stay safe and protect yourselves <3


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